Lightsaber Skills
Overview Force-sensitive factions normally have methods of offensive and defensive capabilities. The primary and most recognized of them is the lightsaber, a weapon that has carried on through through the ages among all parts of those who are affiliated with the Force: Light Side, Dark Side, and in between. Traditional Lightsaber Forms These are among the classic forms in the Jedi combative arts of lightsaber dueling that continue to be used after countless generations. Form I: Shii-Cho - The Way of the Sarlacc/The Determination Form - Disarming Slash: A strike directed at the opponent's weapon in an attempt to rip it out of their grasp or destroy it. - Sarlacc Sweep: A wide sweeping attack in which the duelist struck against multiple enemies. Form II: Makashi - The Way of the Ysalamiri/The Contention Form - Contentious Opportunity: A tactic based upon recognizing and exploiting an opening in the opponent's defense before swiftly moving to strike the exposed enemy. - Makashi Riposte: A defensive technique where the duelist slightly alters the angle of an opponent's attack before quickly retaliating with a counter strike. Form III: Soresu - The Way of the Mynock/The Resilience Form - Circle of Shelter: A technique where the duelist creates a protected area around themselves and their allies, making it difficult for enemies to penetrate. - Deflecting Slash: A technique where the duelist redirects the momentum generated by deflecting an enemy projectile into a slashing attack at an adjacent target. Form IV: Ataru - The Way of the Hawk-Bat/The Aggression Form - Hawk-Bat Swoop: A technique intended to allow a combatant to quickly strike their opponent without giving them a chance to react. - Saber Swarm: Numerous short strikes were aimed at the adversary. Form V: Shien/Djem So - The Way of the Krayt Dragon/The Perseverance Form - Barrier of Blades: A defensive technique that protects the user from blaster fire and redirected some of the incoming blasts. - Falling Avalanche: An overhand power blow that crashed down upon an opponent with incredible force. - Fluid Riposte: A smooth transition from parrying an attack to a counter strike. - Shien Deflection: A technique that simultaneously deflect weapons fire and leap towards an opponent. Form VI: Niman - The Way of the Rancor/The Moderation Form - Draw Closer: It consisted of the duelist telekinetically seizing an opponent and pulling the enemy into the path of his/her blade. - Pushing Slash: The duelist would slash an opponent before blasting him aside with a Force push. Form VII: Juyo/Vaapad - The Way of the Vornskr/The Ferocity Form - Assured Strike: A technique that trades sheer power for a near-certainty of landing a hit. - Vornskr's Ferocity: Involved "ferocious" attacking of an opponent. - Swift Flank: The user leaped or dashed around an opponent to make a quick strike. The speed of the maneuver was intended to catch opponents off guard. - Tempered Aggression: A technique used to describe the ferocity of the Vaapad form, but with more control against succumbing to the Dark Side even in the heat of battle. Traditional Form Strengths & Weaknesses Form I: Shii-Cho - Strong against Jar'Kai and multiple opponents: Simple move set giving way to many options - Weak against''' Makashi''' and Juyo: Anything specific to one-on-one combat Form II: Makashi - Strong against Shii-Cho, Niman and in some cases Juyo: Precision stabs working around erratic and open forms - Weak against''' Ataru', '''Djem So' and Juyo: Anything with kinetic-based power blows Form III: Soresu - Strong against all forms: Based on fatigue to outlast foes until a crack is found - Weak against Juyo: Only some rare cases including highly skilled practitioners Form IV: Ataru - Strong against Djem So: High mobility outmanuevering stagnant approaches - Weak against Soresu and multiple opponents: Utilizing a lot of energy and focus on one-on-one combat Form V: Djem So - Strong against Makashi and Juyo: Superior power attacks and effective counters to an all-offense approach - Weak against Soresu and Ataru: Depleting strength reserves and lacking in agility and flexibility Form VI: Niman - Strong against Juyo: Effective against weak Force walls, groups and battlefield situations - Weak against Makashi: Focusing less on dueling principles and more concerned with Force chaining Form VII: Juyo/Vaapad - Strong against Makashi and Soresu: Enough speed to blitz through and enough strength muscle through - Weak against Djem So and Niman: Weak against counters via the blade or the Force New Jedi Order Lightsaber Forms These are forms created and utilized in the New Jedi Order which hold simularities to many of the traditional lightsaber forms before they were rediscovered, but later become hybridizations to ensure a variety of skills and feats that retained the traditional cores of the original forms originated from. Three Rings of Defense - These are the basic principles of lightsaber combat taught at the New Jedi Order, similar to the principle of Shii-Cho because of its simplicity. -''' Outer Ring': The outer ring has four guard positions at the upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left. The outermost ring was characterized by sweeping heavy blows, which though powerful would take longer to deliver. This is suitable for lightsaber combat in the '''Strong Style'. -''' Middle Ring': Like the outer ring, the middle had four guard positions: high, low, left and right. The middle ring was used to pick up quicker blows and stop them before they could intersect with the body, which was one of the most effective ways of deflecting blaster bolts. This is suitable for lightsaber combat in the '''Medium Style'. -''' Inner Ring': The inner ring of defense used parries as opposed to blocks and was primarily used against lunging attacks. The lightsaber was kept in close to the body, with the hilt covering the navel. With the tip of the blade angled so that attacks could be picked up on its lower third, then to be shunted aside, and a riposte against an enemy's stomach or chest was possible. This was the last line of defense and was considered dangerous to both defend and attack from. This is suitable for lightsaber combat in the '''Fast Style'. Strong Style - The style was based on powerful strikes to batter through an opponent's defense, sacrificing speed for unrivaled power and yet covered great distance and was virtually unstoppable. This incorporates the strength orientation from Djem So, the powerful offense from Juyo, the wide sweeps from Shii-Cho and Makashi, and the offensive nature from Ataru. Medium Style - The style was based on a perfect equilibrium between speed and power, a balance between powerful but slow swings and short but swift strikes. This incorporates the combined elements of multiple forms yet remained simple and basic from Shii-Cho and Niman and the acrobatic techniques from Ataru. Fast Style - The style was based on multiple attacks at an extremely fast pace, consisting of short and quick motions with the blade that could be chained and combined almost indefinitely. This incorporates the acrobatic jumps and rolls from Ataru, the very rapid and effective defense from Soresu, and it can be made into a variant based on aggressive and offensive capability from Shien. New Jedi Order Form Strengths & Weaknesses Strong Style - Strong against single opponents armed with melee weapons: Based primarily on powerful strikes to batter through an opponent's defense - Weak against blaster fire and counterattacks from faster opponents: Solely utilized in lightsaber combat, disadvantageous in one-on-one melee combat against faster opponents Medium Style - Strong against blasters and less skilled duelists: Excellent style to fall back as an alternative, providing a respectable offense and defense - Weak against more skilled gunslingers and more talented duelists: Simple style design can cause destruction of the user's momentum and counterattack Fast Style - Strong against multiple opponents or a single, stronger opponent that is slower: Powerful defense against blaster fire and multiple attacks at a quick pace in lightsaber combat - Weak against a strong, cunning opponent: Limited strike power, short range and defenses can be broken down from a more physically powerful duelist Other Lightsaber Forms & Styles Weapon-Based Forms Jar'Kai - Dual lightsabers - Twin Strike: A dual-wielding strike that the character simultaneously swings both lightsabers to act as a strong-attack. Both lightsabers meet the target or object. - Rising Whirlwhind: A duelist swings his lightsabers about his body, creating a brilliant whirlwind. Lightstaff - Double-bladed lightsaber Lightlance - Lightsaber pike Unorthodox & Hybrid Fighting Methods Trispzest - A combination of elements of Juyo and traditional S'kytri aerial dueling, this would allow the combatant to utilize the advantages of flying in battle against grounded units. - Spinning Attack: The flying duelist would hover in one spot and spin wildly, lashing out at multiple opponents. Trakata - Involving practical combat and deception, rather than the more traditional single-minded and determined tactics, this is based around the unique ability of lightsabers to turn on and off, activating and deactivating the blade in the heat of combat to slip past enemy defenses or trick them into over-extending themselves. - Pass The Blade: The duelist deactivated his blade as he attacks, bypassing the opponent's block before igniting it into the hapless foe. - Unbalancing Block: The duelist caught the opponent's blade with his own before momentarily deactivating it, causing the opponent to stumble and leave himself open. Sokan - A principle of lightsaber combat rather than a true form, this teaching revolved around using the environment itself to gain a tactical advantage in combat. - High Ground Defense: Taking advantage of terrain to gain a defensive advantage. - Unhindered Charge: A rapid charge at the opponent, circumventing terrain and obstacles to cover the distance quickly. Mounted Combat - This is practiced when Force user factions would have to use their lightsabers in combat while riding a mount, using one hand only to conduct simple attacks lashing out at grounded enemy units with low lunges with the lightsaber of a diagonal semi-circular nature, even incapacitating other mounted units by lashing out at either the enemy mount or its rider as well as deflecting blaster shots to protect the mount and the rider themselves, while the other hand was steering the mount. Telekinetic Combat - This is the use of telekinesis through the Force to have a lightsaber be utilized for defensive and offensive properties. - Saber Barrier: Utilized by practictioners of Jar'Kai, this consists of having the lightsabers whirling and hovering in a horizontal circle around the saber-wielding Jedi, thus creating a defensive yet deadly wall of lightsaber blades, defending the Jedi primarily against melee attacks. - Saber Throw: Although itt is not clear if this is an ability in its own right or a technique combining powers such as Force Pull, manually locking the blade in the “ON” position or holding in the activation button using the Force, the wielder could throw the lightsaber in a boomerang fashion, cutting its way through obstacles and returning to the hand of the caster which is usually after deactivation. Other Strengths and Weaknesses Jar'Kai - Strong against groups - Second blade grants more speed - Weak against Djem So and Juyo - Sacrifices strength for speed and lack of two-handed parries makes weak defense Lightsaber Techniques Lightsaber Combat Rules Rule 1: Every apprentice will already have Shii-Cho as a starter form. - The intention is to allow every apprentice to have a basic combative skill in the event of sparring and training for situations involving armed opponents. Rule 2: During apprenticeship, one additional lightsaber form can be purchased. - This second form can be used as a primary skill set but must be chosen wisely for once it is selected it cannot be undone. Rule 3: Each additional rank can purchase an additional lightsaber form but the cost will double in effect. - Indeed variety can be a practical concept but at the cost of additional time and training. Rule 4: Additional lightsaber techniques can be purchased depending on the skill level they fall under. - The concept of this is to promote variety of techniques that each duelist can use to enhance their skill set and not be restricted to the basic form skills attached onto the lightsaber forms each have selected. Rule 5: Martial arts and Force chaining attacks can be utilized. - This can provide as an effective alternative for sustaining attacks rather than doing so from lightsaber strikes. Rule 6: After three consecutive dodges, a hit must be applied. - This is intended as an inhibition against the risk of excessively evading attacks and cheating. Rule 7: The three dodge rule can be restarted upon allowing a successful hit to be sustained. - For instance, if an attack has been caught and made as a hit after the first dodge then the countdown is automatically restarted. Rule 8: If there is a technique that requires a specific parent skill, that parent skill must be acquired first. - One example being the dual-fencing art of Jar'Kai as it requires the basics of Niman to have an understanding of the skill. Rule 9: Nonplayable characters cannot kill roleplaying characters. - In the very essence of multiplayer combat, non-playable characters are considered to be expendable but can still injure under the permission of any roleplaying characters in action.